MEPRA

At the Middle East Public Relations Association (MEPRA) Awards, held in Dubai, Limelight Middle East was recognised as the Best New Consultancy of 2012. The MEPRA award, which is the only dedicated programme for the PR industry in the region, attracted entries from across the Middle East entering over twenty categories.

Agencies shortlisted in New Consultancy of the Year category were subsequently judged upon their growth, staff development, rates of retention and creative output. As a consequence Limelight illustrated its double digit year-on-year growth, commitment to training and its international standard of PR across the sectors in which it specialises, namely professional services, construction, media, aviation and energy.

Based in the heart of Dubai’s Media City, Limelight Middle East has gone from strength to strength since its launch in February 2010, with a focus on business PR and communications, fulfilling a need for business driven communications across the Middle East.

Limelight Middle East’s achievements reflect the thinking and ethos of Limelight in London, creating tailored and measured PR strategies which speak directly to boardroom decision makers, align with sales objectives, and help businesses achieve a range of commercial and strategic objectives.

Limelight Middle East works with a range of clients across the Gulf region, operating in property, marketing services and professional services, such as Saatchi & Saatchi X, Aegis Media, Digital Republic, MEFMA (Middle East Facility Management Association) and MEBAA (Middle East Business Aviation Association).

Upon winning the award, James Holmes, Managing Director of Limelight Middle East, said: “Our success at MEPRA proves our ideas and energy have successfully managed to make a real difference to the quality of business PR and communications in the region. We couldn’t have got to where we are today without such an outstanding, committed and visionary Middle East team.”

Susanna Simpson, CEO, commented: “In late 2009 we conducted due diligence on the market and identified the gap for a consultancy that specialises in corporate and B2B communications. In February 2010 we launched with one trusting client, a lap top, big ideas and plenty of energy. On the day that we collect our award, Limelight has 13 active clients who are amongst the largest companies in their respective sectors. We will continue this growth, breaking into new sectors as we realise our vision to be the leading, specialist B2B PR and communications resource in the Middle East and North Africa.”

I have been working in Dubai for three years and even in that time, I have seen the ‘4th estate’ improve dramatically. The opening of The National has introduced world class journalism into the region and digital content is being taken seriously by financial markets around the world.

Even the closing of Emirates Business 24/7 print edition has been blamed on an increase in competition.

And so it’s only natural that the public relations industry improves as a result. Just as the recession highlighted the vulnerable, so any agency that relies on the replication of a release will flounder in a media market that is demanding higher standards.

I am therefore surprised when I hear, on an all too often basis, that the standard of public relations in the UAE is way below average, especially compared to more developed markets. Ironically statements that come from many ex-pats who have indeed trained in developed countries and now practice in Dubai!

But bearing in mind the advertising industry has a similar reputational issue and is much older; such commentators cannot expect standards in public relations to improve over night and ahead of the media. We are a young industry in the Middle East that is making faster progress than anywhere else but we can only improve as fast as clients will allow and in alignment with progression of the media.

Think of it as a cycle. As the media becomes more investigative (or dare i say it, objective), so the corporations will recognise public relations as a core business function. As a result, the PR agencies in the Middle East will begin to focus on quality – not quantity in order to prove their worth.

What this means, is more strategic PR. Understanding the objective and goals of a campaign and measuring against them – not the advertising equivalent.

The cycle then goes full circle. PR agencies will have to offer a more frank and honest consultancy to clients. They need to be able to explain that the appointment of a janitor for the store cupboard is not news and resist demands to distribute the release to every man and his dog. This will then help contribute to the standard of content (especially online) and build better relationships with journalists.

As it stands however, there are too many variables that prohibit a PR consultant from fulfilling their capabilities, and whilst I applaud MEPRA and its remit, advice needs to be directed towards procurement, towards clients, and those who don’t understand public relations but have to work with PR agencies, because these are the parties stunting the sector’s standards.

Limelight

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